Hey everyone, Adrian here.
I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on Adam Horner's CTO Playbook podcast, where we discussed what it truly means to be a leader worth following. Leadership isn't about titles, authority, or how many people report to you. It's about whether people genuinely want to follow you. If they don’t, then your leadership is little more than a formality—and worse, you might not even realize it.
Most tech leaders don’t actively reflect on whether they’re worth following. They assume that the team will naturally align with their decisions by being in charge. But leadership isn’t about being in charge; it’s about earning trust, providing direction, and creating an environment where people thrive.
The biggest challenge? Our own biases.
It’s easy to believe leadership is about being right, making tough calls, and expecting others to follow suit. But what if the very things you think about leadership are holding you back? What if your team sees you as unreliable, uninspiring, or detached—but you don’t even realize it?
In our conversation, I shared my four-part playbook for becoming a leader that people actually want to follow:
1. Credibility: Your Actions Speak Louder Than Your Title
Leadership without credibility is just a management role with extra stress. People don’t follow job titles; they follow individuals they respect. And respect isn’t given; it’s earned.
I’ve been in this business for over two decades, and one thing remains constant; people can smell inauthenticity a mile away. If your actions don’t align with your words, your team won’t trust you. This is especially true in tech, where credibility is often tied to expertise. Engineers respect leaders who understand the craft, who can engage in meaningful technical discussions, and who make decisions based on more than just gut instinct.
But credibility isn’t just about technical prowess but also consistency. Why should they trust your leadership if you’re constantly late, forgetful, or detached from your team’s challenges?
⚠️ Authority Bias / Status Bias
One dangerous bias is assuming credibility comes with position. Many leaders think, "I’ve been promoted; therefore, my team will respect me." This is wrong. If anything, stepping into leadership resets the trust meter, and you must build it from scratch.
Key Takeaways:
- Be consistent in your words and actions(The Leadership Challenge, Kouzes & Posner).
- Build trust through reliability and integrity(The Speed of Trust, Covey).
- Stay engaged with your team’s work and challenges.(Radical Candor, Scott).
- Demonstrate expertise, but don’t pretend to know everything.
2. Be a Role Model, Not a Boss
Telling people how to work isn’t leadership. Showing them what great work looks like.
Too many leaders preach high standards but fail to live up to them. If you demand accountability but dodge responsibility yourself, the team will notice. If you want your team to be proactive, you must model proactivity. If you value learning, you should be the first to share what you’ve learned.
One of the most dangerous biases here is the “do as I say, not as I do” trap. Leaders assume their team will respect rules and standards even if they cut corners. If you demand discipline but show up late, talk about ownership, and blame others, you erode your influence.
⚠️ Self-Serving Bias
This is the tendency to attribute successes to one’s abilities while blaming failures on external factors. Leaders affected by this bias might hold their team accountable for mistakes while justifying their shortcomings with excuses like “I’m too busy” or “This situation is different.”
Key Takeaways:
- Set high standards and live up to them (Leaders Eat Last, Sinek).
- Take responsibility and lead by example (Extreme Ownership, Willink & Babin).
- Encourage learning and development (Dare to Lead, Brown).
- Stay present and engaged with your team (Multipliers, Wiseman).
By the way, since you came this far in the article,you are likely an aspiring person🍀. I am teaching to become a better software engineer and a leader worth following.You can find me on MentorCruise.com.
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3. Craft and Communicate a Vision
If that clarity isn’t there, they start seeking leadership from elsewhere.
Without vision, a team drifts. People might still be busy, but they won’t be aligned.
A strong vision gives work purpose and helps people understand why their contributions matter beyond sprint goals and quarterly OKRs. When teams lack direction, they look to their leader for clarity. If that clarity isn’t there, they start seeking leadership from elsewhere—either from a dominant peer within the team or from external influences.
A shared leadership bias assumes everyone sees the big picture as clearly as you do. Leaders often think, "I’ve explained it once, so they get it." In reality, vision needs repetition. If your team doesn’t constantly hear about the why, they’ll eventually stop caring about the what.
⚠️ Curse of Knowledge Bias
This bias occurs when leaders assume that others understand the same context. Leaders often think, “I’ve explained it once, so they get it,” but they forget that their team doesn’t have the same exposure to strategic discussions, decision-making processes, or long-term company goals.
Why This Bias is Dangerous in Leadership:
Creates misalignment: Leaders assume everyone understands the bigger picture, leading to confusion and disengagement.
Leads to frustration: Team members might feel left out or disconnected because they don’t fully grasp the purpose behind their work.
Reduces motivation: If people don’t understand why their work matters, they stop caring about the outcome.
How to Overcome It:
Communicate the vision repeatedly. Vision isn’t a one-time announcement; it’s an ongoing conversation.
Use different formats to reinforce the message. Meetings, one-on-ones, written updates, and team discussions all help clarify the big picture.
Check for understanding. Encourage questions and feedback to ensure alignment.
Key Takeaways:
- Clearly define and articulate your vision (Start With Why, Sinek).
- Connect the team's work to a larger purpose (Drive, Pink).
- Ensure alignment across different team members (Good to Great, Collins).
- Reinforce the vision through regular communication.
4. Create Meaningful Challenges
Leaders who simply assign tasks fail to create engagement. The best leaders challenge their teams, pushing them to grow while supporting them.
Micromanagers dictate every step. Authentic leaders create space for people to take ownership, explore solutions, and contribute meaningfully. They remove roadblocks, facilitate collaboration, and trust their teams to rise.
The significant bias that holds leaders back is assuming people just need to “do their jobs.” If your team isn’t challenged, it will disengage. It will stagnate if it is never given the chance to push boundaries. The best leaders introduce just enough discomfort to drive progress without creating chaos.
⚠️ Status Quo Bias
This bias occurs when leaders assume that maintaining stability is the best way to ensure productivity, avoiding changes that could introduce discomfort or uncertainty. They believe that as long as their team completes tasks, everything is fine when, in reality, a lack of challenge leads to stagnation, disengagement, and missed opportunities for growth.
Why This Bias is Dangerous in Leadership:
Prevents growth: Employees who are never challenged won’t develop new skills or improve existing ones.
Encourages disengagement: When work becomes repetitive and uninspiring, motivation drops.
Kills innovation: Without opportunities to explore new approaches, teams fall into predictable patterns and stop thinking creatively.
How to Overcome It:
Introduce “productive discomfort.” Give your team meaningful challenges that push them slightly beyond their current skill level.
Empower ownership. Instead of micromanaging, allow team members to take responsibility for their work and explore solutions independently.
Celebrate effort, not just outcomes. Encourage learning from failure and experimentation, reinforcing a growth mindset.
Innovation is significant in software development.
We should do everything we can to maintain motivation and innovation. While this is difficult in many jobs and roles, it is not so in software.
We can do a lot wrong, but it’s easy to fix if the leadership is willing.
Are you willing? :) You should be.
Key Takeaways:
- Challenge your team to grow beyond their comfort zones(The War of Art 🍀, Pressfield).
- Avoid micromanagement—empower autonomy instead.(Turn the Ship Around!, Marquet).
- Remove obstacles that hinder progress.
- Foster a culture of problem-solving and innovation.
Final Thought: Leadership is a Relationship
The moment you step into leadership, your job changes. It’s no longer about doing the work; it’s about enabling others to do their best work.
The worst bias of all? Believing leadership is about you.
A leader worth following doesn’t just push people toward results. They inspire, guide, and empower. They foster an environment where people don’t just comply—they contribute.
To explore these four aspects further, check out my conversation on Adam Horner’s CTO Playbook podcast. We explored the real-life challenges of leadership and how to navigate them.
Let’s keep striving for excellence and trustworthiness in our professional lives.